[[quoteright:350:[[Franchise/WinnieThePooh http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/1tiggerbounce_1724.jpg]]]]Some animals are drawn with a tail unlike what it would have in RealLife. Either its tail is shaped differently from what its RealLife counterpart would have, or its tail moves around differently from how it should in RealLife. Sometimes its tail is shaped the way it would be shaped in RealLife, but the shape is more exaggerated than it would really appear.

One example is that some cartoon dogs are drawn with tails that look like that of a cat. Dogs may have the widest variety of tail shapes of all animals, but most dogs in RealLife do not have tails that look completely like a typical cat's tail - long with a round or blunt end. A variant of this trope is for a dog with a tail close to the look of a cat's tail but still typical of the breed to have its tail move like that of a cat at least sometimes. In RealLife, a dog's tail should not curl, twitch, or wave like a cat's tail, even if its tail does look like a cat's tail.

Other common examples:

* Wolves with overly bushy tails. In RealLife, wolves have somewhat bushy tails, but not to the extent of foxes.* Cartoon cats from the 1940's and onwards that have tails that taper to a fine point like that of a newborn kitten. Older kittens and adult cats usually have long tails that have a rounded or blunt end. A cat's tail can taper, but usually not like the tail of many cartoon cats.* Cartoon chipmunks that have deer-like tails. Real chipmunks have much longer tails similar to that of a squirrel, but thinner.* Theropod dinosaurs with flexible, bendy tails that may or may not drag on the ground. Theropod dinosaurs are supposed to have stiff and thick tails that are used for balance and leg powering (sometimes this is a case of ScienceMarchesOn however).* Diplodocid sauropods like ''Apatosaurus'' and ''Diplodocus'' will sometimes be portrayed with shorter tails than in real life, despite the family being known for having long, whip-like tails which they use for defense. Conversely, brachiosaurids have relatively short tails compared to other sauropods, but they will sometimes have long tails similar to those of diplodocids. * Similarly, pterosaurs (especially if it's a ''Pteranodon'') with long tails. In real life, most of them have short tails. However, some pterosaurs like ''Rhamphorhynchus'' have long tails, but they do not have crests like ''Pteranodon''.* Most animals with bushy tails have them portrayed as tapering to a point, when in RealLife, bushy tails are more likely to have a blunt or rounded tip.* Unusually thin and/or fur-covered tails on mice.* Zebras with horse-like tails.* Skunks usually have "neater" tails that taper to a point, rather than the bushy brush-like ones they have in real life. The pattern will often be portrayed with two thin white stripes going through the tail, black at the ends, though typical real life skunks have tails with white at the ends.* Saber-toothed cats (particularly ''Smilodon'') tend to be depicted with long tails similar to other big cats, instead of short tails like in real life.* Hippos with longer and thinner tails than in real life. Sometimes they would lack tufts at the tip.* Lions without tufts at the end of their tails.

Please only list examples that are clearly based on actual species. {{Funny Animal}}s clearly based on actual species are allowed too. Aliens, monsters, and mythical beings can have BizarreAlienBiology, so please do not list them.

Subtrope of FunnyAnimalAnatomy. See also FurryEarDissonance. See InexplicablyTailless for normally tailed animals that don't even have tails.----!!Examples:

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[[folder:Astronomy]]* Example: Ursa Major (The Big Dipper) and Ursa Minor (The Little Dipper) are constellations shaped like bears with unusually long, catlike tails. Lampshaded and justified by the myth they're based on.[[/folder]]

[[folder:Comic Books]]* The wolves of the ''ComicBook/TheBlackBloodAlliance'' have the common, taper off-to-a-point variety. (but surprisingly they are not overly bushy, considering they are sparkledogs).* ''Franchise/{{Marsupilami}}'' may be the best example of this trope, with a long, skinny tail far longer than his own body. Then again, he is [[BizarreAlienBiology a fictional species]].[[/folder]]

[[folder:Fan Works]]* In the fanfic ''Fanfic/TailsOfTheOldRepublic'', a crossover/ FusionFic between ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'' and the videogame ''Franchise/StarWars: VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublic'', Tails the fox has two tails like in the games and other media he regularly features in, but taken to [[ExaggeratedTrope extremes]] here. Not only can he [[HeliCritter fly]] with them, [[BewareMyStingerTail fight]] with them, and even [[LuckilyMyShieldWillProtectMe shield]] himself with them, now that he's been [[PlotRelevantAgeUp aged up]] to adolescence, Tails' namesakes are now ''twice'' as long as he is tall!

[[/folder]]

[[folder:Film]]

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Balto}}'' has the common, taper off-to-a-point variety.* Meeko the raccoon from ''Disney/{{Pocahontas}}'' has a tail that looks really thick at the base and tapers to a fine point, whereas real raccoons usually [[http://theodorafur.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/images/001.83174138_std.JPG have tails with a blunt tip or have one that at least doesn't taper as much]]. To be fair, a raccoon's tail can taper to a fine point but most raccoons' tails do not look that thick at the base.* [[MovieBonusSong "Pet Me, Poppa"]] from ''Theatre/GuysAndDolls'' has the [[ChorusGirls The Goldwyn Girls]] dressed as pussy cats swinging around totally un-catlike tails.** They are supposed to be dressed like housecats, but their tails look vaguely like lion's tails.* Averted with The Chipmunks in the two live action ''Film/AlvinAndTheChipmunks'' movies and the Chipettes in the second one; they have tails like real chipmunks.** Subverted in the cartoons, where they don't even have tails.* Rafiki from ''Disney/TheLionKing'' is a mandrill that has a tail like a baboon.* The weasels in Film/WhoFramedRogerRabbit have short, stubby tails rather than longish catlike tails like real weasels.* The mice in Disney's ''Disney/{{Cinderella}}'' have wire-thin tails about the width of a drawn line.* The mice in ''Disney/TheGreatMouseDetective'' have thin tails, while the rat Ratigan has a long, fleshy, wormlike tail differentiating him from the mice, among [[MyInstinctsAreShowing other things...]]* [[WhatMeasureisaNonCute The coelacanths]] from ''Disney/AtlantisTheLostEmpire'' for some reason have extremely small normal-looking fish tails. In real life, a coelacanth's tail is actually large and paddle-shaped.* Near the middle of ''Disney/{{Aladdin}}'', the Genie actually transforms Abu the monkey into an elephant... ...with a monkey tail.* Averted in ''WesternAnimation/KungFuPanda2'' where Shen's wolves are all drawn with round, bushy tails.

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[[folder:Literature]]

* Real moose have stumpy little tails, even shorter than that of most other deer. ''Morris the Moose'', from the eponymous picture book series, has a long tail with a tuft on the end, kind of like a unicorn!

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[[folder: Video Games ]]

* Miles 'Tails' Power from ''SonicTheHedgehog'' has two tails that enable him to [[HeliCritter fly like a helicopter]] when he spins them. Granted, he's [[OurMonstersAreDifferent based on a]] {{Kitsune}}. Still don't know what's up with the flying, though.* The alligators from ''VideoGame/WheresMyWater'' have curling tails like chameleons.

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[[folder: Web Animation ]]

* Russell the otter from ''WebAnimation/HappyTreeFriends'' has a flat tail like a beaver.** Also from ''WebAnimation/HappyTreeFriends'': Giggles, Flaky, and Cro-Marmot all lack tails, as did Mime during the TV series but was given it back later on. On an antonymous note, Splendid and Petunia have tails that are equal to them in both height and width, if not larger than that.

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[[folder: Western Animation ]]

* Perry the Platypus from ''WesternAnimation/{{Phineas and Ferb}}'' has a [[http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files//c5/f3/c5f3d5f20ac3e35307c18193f455e1df.jpg "waffle"]] striped tail that isn't teal, like the rest of his body. Platypi are known for their "duck bills" and their "''beaver tails,''" especially after Perry's theme song which claims "he's got a beaver tail and a bill." [[http://cdn.easyapps.nl/pictures/000/000/000/117/209/994_800x600.jpg?r=0 Real platypi have furry tails]]. The only similarity to [[https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/378800000255924629/483bfb0cd9f5e808b80386ce14a90783.jpeg beavers' tails]] is that they are both wide and flat. ** He also uses it one time while he's swimming, but real platypuses use mostly only their front limbs in swimming and steer with their hind legs and tails.** Candace's imaginary talking zebra has a tail more closely resembling that of a horse.* Spike from ''WesternAnimation/{{Rugrats}}'' has a catlike tail.* Franchise/ScoobyDoo is a [[http://www.ttsgreatdanes.com/Buffy/buffysidegreat.JPG Great Dane and has a tail like one]], but it often curls and waves like that of a cat.* The WesternAnimation/ClassicDisneyShorts have some characters with unnatural tails.** Daisy Duck, a female duck, has curled tail feathers, a trait exclusive to male ducks.** Mice have thin, naked tails, but Mickey, Minnie and Mortimer Mouse have tails that are unusually thin even for mice. Pluto has the same kind of tail, despite being a dog.*** Pluto's tail usually acts like a normal dog's tail and seems fairly stiff most of the time** WesternAnimation/ChipAndDale, have short tails that end in a point, sort of like deer tails.* Itchy from the "Itchy and Sratchy Show" on ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'', like Mickey Mouse, has a tail that is unusually thin for a mouse.* The mice and rats in Creator/DonBluth's ''WesternAnimation/TheSecretOfNIMH'' and ''WesternAnimation/AnAmericanTail'' have unusually thin, fur-covered tails. Seems to be fairly standard for animated mice.* Jerry's tail from ''WesternAnimation/TomAndJerry'' is rather short, and fur-covered. In some shorts it also seems to be elastic. Tom's tail is rather short too, and tapers to a point.* Toopy from ''WesternAnimation/ToopyAndBinoo'' has a really short, naked tail that looks like the rattle at the end of a rattlesnake's tail.* Arnold the Pit Bull from ''WesternAnimation/TinyToonAdventures'' has a tail like a cat instead of like a dog.* The Brain from ''WesternAnimation/{{Animaniacs}}'' and ''WesternAnimation/PinkyAndTheBrain'' has a tail like a real mouse, except it is kinked in a way that it looks like stairs.** Although in this case, considering it was the ACME experiments that gave him the inflated head, intelligence and ego, it's fairly safe to say that that was a side-effect of one of the experiments. Or, at least, Pinky getting it caught in a door or something.* Sylvester and a lot of other ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'' cats have tails that taper to a fine point.* Tigger from ''Franchise/WinnieThePooh'' has a springy tail with a blunt tip that he can bounce on. Also Eeyore has a tall that is like a normal donkey's, except it is nailed into his body. Then again, they're technically toys.* Evil the Cat from ''WesternAnimation/EarthwormJim'' has a naked tail like a rat.* ''WesternAnimation/{{Bonkers}}'': D. Bobcat is a mild example; his tail is considerably longer that of a real bobcat.* The ponies in ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' have prehensile tails. Nevermind that they're mostly hair. Their tails also tend to be large, wide and arc-shaped, as opposed to a real horse's hanging, loose tail. ** Having the ponies' tails constantly raised up is important in giving them a distinctive, memorable silhouette. ** Zecora's tail has a lot more hair on it then a real zebra tail.** The hippo seen in "Pinkie Pride" has a tail more similar to that of a rhino's.* Counting Cougar in ''WesternAnimation/TUFFPuppy'' has a tail more like that of Kitty Katswell than that of a real cougar.* The title character of ''WesternAnimation/TheAmazingWorldOfGumball'' and his mother are cats with tails that are basically rigid sticks.* The guard dog of the La Paloma Fog Factory in ''WesternAnimation/TheSylvesterAndTweetyMysteries'' episode, "The Maltese Canary" has a tail with a tailtip shaped like a three-leafed clover.* Averted with the chipmunks from ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime'', which have squirrel-like tails like real chipmunks.[[/folder]]